LEO COTTER
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Thomas Leo Cotter was born in Providence in 1894 and was one of the most high profile multi-sport athletes in Rhode Island in the early 1900s. Leo grew up in the Elmwood section of Providence and excelled in baseball and ice polo, the precursor to ice hockey in the United States. Leo's long amateur baseball career started with the Fox Point Blue Hooks in the Independent Amateur League where he became a sterling marksman on the mound. He soon got praise with a no hit, no run game in his teens in 1911. He graduated into faster competition with the Universal Winding Company of the Manufacturers League. The Universals soon shifted to the top division in Tim O'Neil's Providence Amateur league calling Bucklin Park home. According to the Providence Evening Bulletin, "Cotter was a keen student of batsman. He had a deceptive drop and could dazzle the heartiest batsman and make them appear childish trying to massage his spinning throw. A change of pace kept them all on the jump and it was a lucky fellow who found the big boy for a home run or triple." Cotter's prowess on the mound was unmatched in an era where baseball was king in the city. Several teams were formed at this time and Cotter had several suiters. Many of his exploits came pitching for the Universals including a May 1916 game where he fanned 20 Crescent A.C. batters of the 29 batters he faced in a 9-0 win. Two batters saw third base the entire game and every Crescent player whiffed at least once. He allowed two hits and issued only two passes in a remarkable display of pitching. The following season in May 1917 Cotter pitched a no hit, no run game against Washington Park. Not a man reached second base in an 11-0 shutout. Only three men reached first base, one on an error and two on walks. He struck out eleven and was also in the limelight with the stick. Cotter had four hits in five trips to the plate including a double. Cotter toiled the slab for several other teams including Allensdale, Elmwood Independents and Lymansville (managed by Al Setzler), West Ends, Glenlyons of Phillipsdale, ICI, North Kingstown and the Providence Colonels. He made some more notoriety in the Catholic Twilight League with Assumption. In a game in August 1924, a record crowd of more than 5000 people showed up to watch Assumption play St. Mary's at Bucklin Park. Cotter faced his rival George Rivard in a pitchers duel that ended in a 2-2 tie for the championship of the first round of the circuit.
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He continued his relationship with Al Setzler and played with his New England champion Elmwood Independent ice polo team in the winter. Elmwood played most of their games on Mashapaug Pond, the largest fresh water pond in Providence. Cotter would spend 14 seasons with the Independents and was known for his beautiful passing with Curly Oden, former all-around athlete (and football Steam Roller star). The team went fifteen straight years copping the ice polo title of New England. They at one point suffered only two defeats in 107 starts. Cotter led Setler's Independents as captain and in 1927 ice polo was also played indoors in the Providence Ice Polo League at the new arena. Cotter continued leading the way before retiring after the 1927-28 season.
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During his time on the ice Cotter also tried his hand at ice hockey (as it was becoming the more popular sport). In 1922 he played on the Auburn Post team against Dennis Post American Legion in a celebrated series on Blackamore Pond in Cranston won by Auburn. He also played for a Providence team formed at the end of the 1925-26 season to compete against the popular New England amateur teams at the new arena. It was reported by the Providence Journal that no team in the history of indoor and outdoor sport in the city of Providence received more loyal support than the initial play of the club. They made their debut with a thrilling 4-3 overtime victory over the Knickerbocker A.C. of New York and were upended by Pere Marquette of Boston 3-2. He also played for the Merchants in the new Industrial Hockey League at the Auditorium in the 1926-27 season.
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